I Loved Her First
by aForgottenWeasley
Summary: "You look happy, darling." - "I am, Daddy. I really am." - Hermione's father shares his thoughts during the Father/Daughter dance at her wedding. Years later, Fred truly understands the meaning behind "I loved her first".


**AUTHOR'S NOTE: So, uh, I was listening to _"I Loved Her First" by Heartland_ and this popped up in my head. Such an adorable song for a Father/Daughter dance at a wedding. It's a must listen to type of song. So cute! Also, yes, I realize this is rather short. Sorry.**

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The night air was crisp, giving off a small bite as it touched any sliver of skin that it was exposed to. The Burrow was eerily quiet, all it's inhabitants being outside and celebrating through the night in a white medium-sized lace tent. The moon shone through, shedding a small amount of light on all those who were there, the floating fairy lights lighting up the rest. Round tables draped in silver table cloths sat all around the inside edge of the tent, bouquets of white and yellow lilies sitting smack dab in the middle of each table. The chair covers matched that of the table cloths, a maroon ribbon tying around each chair.

A warming charm had been cast over the entire party, guests smiling and laughing as they socialized with other guests. It was a small intimate affair; the guests being made up of the entire Weasley clan, Harry Potter, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, and a select few of friends.

The fast tempo of music that seemed that be playing from nowhere suddenly started to fade out, the soft, calm music of a violin and guitar quickly replacing it. Every dancing couple quickly vanished from the dance floor as the Bride and Groom walked hand in hand to the middle, the smiles still in place on their face after their magic had been tied to one another.

"_Look at the two of you dancing that way. Lost in the moment and each other's face. So much in love, you're alone in this place. Like there's nobody else in the world."_

Fred and Hermione spun slowly to the music, one of his hands on her waist as he held the other delicately at shoulder's height. They smiled at one another, happy to have finally said their vows, as their friends and family watched on from the sidelines. Flashes of light flashed from all sides of the tent capturing this moment but the newly wedded couple was not distracted.

"_Time changes everything, life must go on but I'm not gonna stand in your way. I loved her first. I held first and a place in my heart will always be hers."_

As they swayed back and forth, a tap on Fred's shoulder halted them in their steps.

"May I cut in?" Mr. Granger asked as his eyes shone with nothing but love and affection for his only daughter.

Hermione grinned at her father, Fred smiling as well as he stepped back from his wife. "Of course, sir'." He passed Hermione's hand to Mr. Granger and once again, flashes flashed like crazy from every direction as the Father and Daughter gracefully swept along the dance floor.

After a round of spinning gracefully around the dance floor, Mr. Granger pulled his daughter closer in so she was able to rest her head on his shoulder while they still danced. From Hermione's position, she could see her Mum sitting with her Mother-in-Law, both women dabbing at their eyes as the wept at the scene. She chuckled into her Father's chest, pointing the two of them out when he asked what was the matter which earned her a rumble of laughter from deep within his chest.

To the left of the weeping Mother's, Hermione spotted her husband being surrounded by all his brothers, including Harry. They were all murmuring with one another, each one clapping Fred on the back and smiling before their gazes were back on the dance floor. Hermione sighed in contentment and closed her eyes.

"You seem really happy, darling." Mr. Granger mumbled as his cheek rested against his daughter's forehead.

Hermione grinned with her eyes still closed. "I am, Daddy. I really, really am."

"_I knew the love of a Father runs deep. And I prayed that she'd find you someday but it's still hard to give her away. I loved her first.."_

"I never told you this," Mr. Granger murmured. "But I had a talk with Fred a while back when you weren't around."

Hermione's brows knitted together in confusion. "He never told me." She mumbled.

"Yes, well, it was a rather emotional talk." Mr. Granger chuckled. "I think I shed a few tears and asked him never to speak of it again."

This time, Hermione picked her head up and frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Mr. Granger grinned, shaking his head 'no' as he placed his daughter's head back on his shoulder. "No. Nothing is wrong. Everything is absolutely perfect."

"Then what was the talk about?"

"I thanked him." He admitted. "I thanked him for saving my little girl's life."

Confused yet again, Hermione picked up her head from his shoulder. "But I saved his life." Hermione feebly grinned. "Remember? The whole wall fell on him and I revived him." She prodded his memory.

Mr. Granger barked a laughed. "No. I remember that." He grinned down at her. "I'm talking about after that?"

This time, Hermione pouted. "But nothing life-threatening happened after that." She wracked her brain for anything she might have forgotten. Nothing was coming up.

"Yes." Mr. Granger's face slightly darkened. "That damn Ministry you work for." He grumbled. "I know it's your government in this world." He instantly replied when he felt her tense in his arms. "But those people worked you too hard and way too soon, and you were starting to crumble beneath your work."

"That's not true."

"Yes it is. Don't try to deny it." Mr. Granger squeezed her reassuringly. "Even your Mum noticed it but when you brought Fred around.." Hermione once again looked at him. "There was a new spark in you. You seemed more relaxed and you weren't working as much anymore."

"I think that's because Kingsley got tired of Fred pulling pranks on him and my co-workers." Hermione admitted. "He just doesn't have the heart to let me go."

"Good." Mr. Granger barked another laugh. "Fred's good for you, love. Most Father's would be sad on a day like this because they think they're losing a daughter but not me, I'm ecstatic. Not because I realized I'm not losing my daughter but because I'm gaining a fantastic son-in-law." They both turned, seeking out Fred only to see him and George smirking mischievously. "And maybe a little scared of said son-in-law."

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**Two Years Later, **Fred stared down in awe at the little pink bundle in his arms. The little girl with a small patch of dark brown hair atop her head was still pink in the face from screaming her lungs out not that long ago. After a year of marriage and some months later, _Salene Emilene Weasley _was introduced to the clan. Her little hand peeked out from her blanket, Fred running his own finger along her tiny digits before she blindly gripped his finger and held him still.

Tears of joy filled his eyes as he smiled brightly down at her and thought about waking Hermione to show them their little girl's strong grip, but she was sleeping peacefully after her grueling delivery and he didn't have the heart to wake her. As he held Salene tightly to his chest without hurting her, the words from a song he once heard at his wedding drifted back to him.

"_From the first breath she breathed when she first smiled at me, I knew the love of a Father runs deep. Someday you might know what I'm going through when a miracle smiles up at you.. I loved her first."_

He truly understood, now, what Mr. Granger meant all those years ago.

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**I have no idea what to say. This might not have been your cup of tea but I needed some fluff in my life at the moment :) I know I didn't describe Hermione's wedding dress or Fred's tux(yes, muggle tux) but if you go to my HP tumblr, the pictures of the wedding dress and tux are there. Hope you liked it.**


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